


In a place like this, who would have known I'd find love

by Justafewthingstosay



Series: Alalia [4]
Category: Alalia - The World of the Eldest, Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: First Meetings, M/M, Sexual thoughts, They are going to be cute, because I said so, brothel, players may interact
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:00:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22232167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Justafewthingstosay/pseuds/Justafewthingstosay
Summary: It's not perfect, but it's the best I can do
Relationships: Yarrow Lockwood / Zenebe Krirak
Series: Alalia [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1577002
Comments: 4
Kudos: 3





	In a place like this, who would have known I'd find love

**Author's Note:**

> It's not perfect, but it's the best I can do

Dew Drop knew who he was the second he walked inside. He knew the brown hair, he knew the thin lines of the tattoo that ran up the man’s neck.

Yarrow Lockwood. The prince of the Boesian Empire. Dew Drop saw that he had tried to disguise himself, tried to use make-up to not make him look like himself. But Dew Drop could tell. Mostly from the fact that Yarrow seemed increasingly uncomfortable, obviously pulled into this situation by one of his close friends. 

The man who had his large hand on Yarrow’s back seemed more adjusted to the entire setting, laughing loudly, not shying away from looking at the workers. Openly talking without a care in the world. Yarrow, on the other hand, was almost as red as a tomato. His entire posture didn’t fit the way that Dew Drop normally saw him. His back wasn’t straight, his shoulders slumping a little, his hands were fidgeting, probably out of nervousness about what was going to happen tonight and out of fear about what would happen if the people found out about this. 

But, that was the good thing about the Maiden’s Head. None of the workers were allowed to speak about their guests. It was supposed to be a safe place. So Dew Drop straightened as much as he could, half-lidded his eyes, before he tried to stretch his wings, still not used to the spell that lied on them. Then after just a small sip of his drink, he made his way over. 

He was wearing more than most of the brothel's workers, slim trousers and a white flowy shirt that he had left open in the front, except for one button at the bottom. He looked amazing and he knew it.

So he took a deep breath, before getting closer to the royal man. He smirked as he stopped next to Yarrow. Watching with him how the burly man that he arrived with started talking to Honey Pie, a young human woman. 

“So-” he started but the Prince pulled his hands up to grab his chest and let out a quick startled: “By the gods!” it wasn’t loud, but it was scared. He had successfully scared the prince, good job Dew Drop.    
  


Dew Drop stifled a small laugh. “I didn’t mean to frighten you, Sir.” 

The Prince was still holding his chest, but slowly let his hand fall. “It’s okay, I just didn’t think that someone would sneak up on me like that.” 

“I really wasn’t sneaking, Sir,” Dew Drop deadpanned. “Also, you’re in a brothel, dear. We are supposed to talk to you.” 

Yarrow nodded carefully, “I suppose you’re right. I apologize.” 

Dew Drop snorted softly, his dark blue eyes meeting Yarrows. “You don’t have to apologise, Majesty.” 

That made the man next to him tense up. He moved closer, lowering his voice so that only Dew Drop could hear. “How did you know?” 

The tiefling raised his dark blue eyebrows up and crossed his arms in front of him, popping his hip out at the same time. “Your makeup is mediocre by far, also your tattoo.” 

The prince looked uncomfortable, he was found out. And not just that. He hadn’t even wanted to come. He didn’t mind spending the night in his room, reading and if he ever thought about what he could be doing if someone was there with him, he definitely didn’t tell the head of the guard. But, Yarrow was twenty now and the head of the guard had just brought up the topic of sex once and when Yarrow didn’t say anything, he insisted on taking him to one of the brothels. 

Yarrow knew that there was no way of arguing with the tall half-elven man. And while he looked at the blue tiefling in front of him, a smile still on his lips, his dark blue hair curling around his horns, he thought that maybe this would have been a good idea after all. 

“I suppose you’re right, it’s not like people don’t know my face in all of this country. Oh by the gods, this was a dumb idea, I should have never let Gael rope me into this. I should leave before someone else finds out who I am,” he whispered the last part and Dew Drop took his wrist carefully when the prince started pushing his hands through his hair. 

“It’s alright, I won’t tell anyone and your-” he coughed, nodding his head into the direction of Gael, who was making out desperately with Honey Pie like his life depended on it. “- your guard seems a little preoccupied and I really don’t feel comfortable with letting you walk through Rory’s streets alone.” 

Yarrow didn’t answer, he just started at Gael, before starring back into those pupil-less eyes, drowning in their blue. 

  
“How about we sit down at one of the tables there?” Dew Drop pointed at one edge of the brothel. Behind thick curtains were tables, you couldn’t see inside. It was mostly for those folks who wanted to share a meal or had specific fantasies. 

Yarrow nodded and Dew Drop immediately started moving, pulling him gently towards the table that was closest to the staircase leading upwards to the rooms. 

“Do you want anything to drink?” he asked after he held the curtain open for Yarrow to walk through. 

“An ale, if you have,” Yarrow mumbled out. Dew Drop could tell that the man wasn’t very comfortable with this situation, but he would do his best to help him relax. 

“We are a brothel, not a church, of course, we have ale,” He grinned before he made his way over to the bar. The curtain had fallen close and Yarrow took a deep breath. He didn’t know how to feel about all of this. He wasn’t sure if he was uncomfortable because he knew he shouldn’t be here, but wanted to, or because it was okay that he was here and he was only trying to find a reason not to be here. 

Before he could completely calm himself though, the tiefling came back. He had buttoned up more of his shirt and the Prince was grateful. The light blue, toned skin that had peaked out from the shirt hadn’t helped him calm down, more the exact opposite. The tiefling had two ales in his hand and while he sat down he pushed one of them into Yarrow’s hand who thanked him with quiet words. 

He downed half of the large mug of ale in one go, putting the mug down only to be greeted with a playful smirk and one short movement of the eyebrows of the other. 

Yarrow wanted to open his mouth to say something to the tiefling only then realising that he didn’t even know his name yet. So he decided to ask. 

“I apologise that I didn’t ask sooner, but, what should I call you?” He stuttered, looking down at the table and Dew Drop thought it was endearing. He should be the one bowing his head, by the gods, he shouldn’t even be allowed to sit at the same table as this man. And there he was, that man. That man, who was literally the most powerful person that Dew Drop had ever met, and probably would ever meet, and he was sitting there, averting his eyes. 

In the first seconds, he thought it was because the prince didn’t want to look at such low people as him, but then he noticed the blush in those features and the way that he was looking down, not putting his chin up high. He was embarrassed. 

“My clients call me Dew Drop,” the tiefling smiled, taking another drink from his ale. “I know you might be a prince, but I don’t really feel comfortable with sharing my real name with you if you don’t mind.” 

Yarrow shook his head quickly, his eyes finding Dew Drops'. “No, I don’t mind. Please don’t treat me any differently just because of my family.” 

“It’s kind of hard not to do that, with the power you hold, but I can try.” Dew Drop flashed the man a smile that he hoped was reassuring, but he wasn’t quite sure if he succeeded. 

“Well, what would you do with a normal client right now?” Yarrow asked, an interested smile on his face as he looked into Dew Drops' eyes once again. He had beautiful eyes, dark brown, so deep that you could get lost in them.

Dew Drop arched an eyebrow, his wings trying to spread but failing. “Depends, a shy one or a not shy one?” 

And Yarrow, the idiot of a prince, responded with “A non-shy one.” 

Nothing that he had ever seen or heard would have prepared the prince for what Dew Drop said next. It wasn’t that it was strange, but it was for him. He had never really encountered the entire sex thing before. Yes, he had jerked off and had fantasies, but nothing he thought could ever reach what Dew Drop must have been doing on a daily basis. 

  
“Well, some of my clients would have me under the table, one hand in my hair, fucking my mouth lazily while they ate or talked to other guests.-” Due to the lack of pupils, Yarrow didn’t know where Dew Drop was looking, but he had the small feeling that even though the tiefling’s head was pointed to the right, his eyes were on him. He swallowed at the thought. “- Some clients would be done by now, just coming here to take care of themselves before they leave again. And well, some are like you. Talking to me first, pretending they care about me, only for their own conscience, so that they won’t feel bad when they throw their payment at me, after having their way with me.” 

When the tiefling’s head moved back to look straight at the other man, a small smile was tugging at the edges of his mouth. “Have you figured out yet what kind of client you will be?” 

Yarrow could feel a pang of guilt in his chest. Did Dew Drop want to do this? Did he like it? Or did he only do it for the money? His mind settled on the thought of Dew Drop being forced to do this and if that was the case, he would have shut down every single brothel in all of Boesia. 

  
He could tell that Dew Drop wasn’t sure what to make of his face, because his expression went from flirty to worried. “Are you okay, Sir?” 

Yarrow didn’t answer, only looked at the other man, his face in deep thought. “Do you like working here?” 

The tiefling picked up his mug and took a long swig. “I don’t mind it. It’s definitely not the worst job I’ve had.” His eyes settled on Yarrow, staring so strongly that the other man had the feeling that he was held in place by the stare. “Do you like your job?” 

His shoulders moved backwards, and he felt his back touch the fine leather of the chair. He had never been asked if he enjoyed his job before. “It is not a job really, it is more of my entire life.”

The tiefling started to move his pointer finger across the top of his glass, slow lazy circles with one hand, while he rested his head on the other. His eyes never left Yarrow, not even for a second. “But do you enjoy it?” 

The prince stared at the finger for a second too long, mesmerized by the small action. By the calm the man before him gave off. He sighed softly, before speaking: “No, but it's my birthright.”

"So it's your curse,” the prostitute said matter of factly, his gaze unwavering, unrelenting. Yarrow shifted a little under it. He felt like he was the one with a job that most people wouldn’t do. He didn’t want to think about the things Dew Drop had to do to make enough money to live or eat. He didn’t want to know how that body had to move under others, under people like himself, only so that the tiefling could eat. But as his thoughts went to the fact that he could be doing that with the tiefling, he noticed that he wouldn’t mind finding out. 

The second that thought came to his head, a blush rose over his face. He couldn’t deny that the tiefling was attractive, but Yarrow wouldn’t want to do that. No. Not like that. If he ever did find out, he didn’t want it to be a transaction. So he tried and managed to get his brain back onto the previous conversation topic and answered Dew Drop’s question. 

"I would describe it more as an opportunity,” he smiled out weakly, hoping that the light would be dim enough to mask his blush. 

The tiefling grinned, showing off canines that were just a little too long. Yarrow didn’t want to think about how those would feel against his skin, so he tried not to. 

He failed. 

"So a curse you accepted?” Dew Drop grinned, his finger still lazily playing with his glass, before taking it into his hold and taking a small sip.

Yarrow couldn’t help but chuckle at that. Dew Drop was right. Being the prince of an empire was exhausting, to say the least. "Yeah, that sounds about right.”

The tiefling seemed happy with that answer, a shit-eating grin on his face as he leaned backwards, his glass in his hand as he moved it up to take a long swig. As he put it back onto the table, he cocked his head to the side and eyed Yarrow with intend. “So, do you want to check out the others or are you gonna go with me?” 

“Go with you where?” Yarrow asked, a confused tone laced in his voice and when the Tiefling put his hand before his mouth to hide his grin, Yarrow understood what he meant. He felt the blood rushing to his face and also the incredible urge to let his head fall onto the table or to just make himself so small that he would disappear from this plane of existence. 

But instead of the harsh laugh that Yarrow was expecting, he felt a hand on his arm. It was warmer than any hand he had ever felt before and when he looked at the spot where Dew Drop was touching his, the stark contrast of blue and pale skin, his worries eased a little. 

“You don’t have to go with any of us if you don’t want to. I can leave if you’d rather not have me here,” Dew Drop smiled, a careful smile, one that was hiding something, but Yarrow couldn’t put his finger on what. 

“Don’t,” he whispered out before he could even think about it. “Don’t go. I won’t be able to go back home without Gael and I don’t want to be left alone here if you don’t mind.” 

Yarrow felt his face flush, he hoped it wasn’t as red as it felt, but it probably was.

Dew Drop’s hand didn’t falter though. It didn’t move away.    
  
“So, what do you want to do then?” Dew Drop asked, his voice laced with intend that wasn’t pushy, just a small question, as if he was ready for anything that Yarrow could throw at him.

The prince considered his options for a moment. He wasn’t going to say that he didn’t have, well, interesting thoughts when he looked at the tiefling, but he didn’t want that. He didn’t just want to use him like the others. He wanted to get to know him, learn what his favourite song was, understand how his life worked. “Do you mind if we just talk for a bit?”

To his luck, the tiefling just leaned back as far as he could with his wings, pulled his lips into a small smirk and took a sip from his drink. “I do not mind at all, your Majesty.” 

Yarrow met his smirk with a careful smile. “Please, call me Yarrow.” 

Dew Drop nodded. “Well then, Yarrow, tell me about your life.” 

  
And Yarrow did. 

* * *

  
  


Time went way too fast while Yarrow was talking to Dew Drop, memorising the way the other laughed when Yarrow complained about his horse biting him in the butt, or when he told the story of how he had once gotten so lost while sneaking out that he had to ask an old lady how to get home. She had, of course, recognised him and well, he might have had to say hello to all her book club friends before she led him back to the castle.

While Yarrow told these stories, he saw how intently the other was listening, like he tried to memorise his dumb stories, like he cared. The prince didn’t want to think about this as caring though, not yet anyway. If Dew Drop cared for him, and that was a big if, then he might have to come back again, to get to know the Tiefling better and he didn’t know how Gael would feel about having to go to the brothel with the prince every few days only so that Yarrow could see a pretty tiefling that probably didn’t even like him back. 

On the topic of Gael, Yarrow noticed that he hadn’t seen the man in a while. Which either meant that he was still ‘busy’ upstairs or that his hour or two might run out soon and the thought of having his time cut short with Dew Drop stung in a place that Yarrow didn’t even think existed. 

But just when his that place stung, Dew Drop chuckled into his glass, watching the expression of the prince carefully and Yarrow had the feeling that that was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. That quiet contained chuckle. It was enough to set his heart alight.

It wasn’t what Yarrow had expected from a trip to the brothel, to find a place in his heart that was empty and begging to be filled. He had the small feeling that this whole in his heart was blue and tiefling shaped, something that he had never really expected, but who doesn’t love the unexpected? 

Well, Yarrow in that moment, because just when he opened his mouth to ask Dew Drop if he had always lived in Rory, the curtain was pulled open with more force than flair revealing a very drunk but very happy looking Gael. 

“Yarrow!” the man spoke way too loudly, his speech slurred, sounding out the two syllables slowly and carefully, trying to not make a mistake. “I’m done if you-” he hiccuped, “If you catch my drift.” 

Yarrow had never really seen the man that he had known almost his entire life sway on his feet, normally he was such a steady man, but that wasn’t the case anymore. 

He also had the feeling that his displeasure about this interruption was written all over his face and with a daring glace to the other side of the table, he saw that he wasn’t the only one. Dew Drop did not look happy about this interruption, but the tiefling pulled himself together quickly. 

“Well, I assume this is where our paths separate,” the tiefling said, and Yarrow had the feeling he heard something sad in that voice. But he wasn’t sure if he just imagined it. 

He only nodded and stood up slowly, the man across from him doing the same. 

Dew Drop brought the two men to the door of the brothel and just before he walked out Yarrow turned around and nodded at him, smiling out a short: “May our paths cross again sometime.” 

Dew Drop only leaned in to kiss the prince on the cheek and whispered a soft “That is entirely in your hands, your Majesty.” 

Yarrow’s breath hitched in his throat when he felt the hot breath of the tiefling on his cheek, brushing against his ear. 

They excused themselves and he and Gael walked home together. The big soldier singing a dumb song on their way home and even though he had interrupted the most wonderful conversation that Yarrow had in years, he couldn’t help but smile at him. At the way the man was drunkenly dancing, singing lyrics that Yarrow couldn’t even decipher through his slurred speech. It made the young prince laugh though, and he didn’t have a lot of reasons to laugh lately, so he was grateful for the interesting display. 

His mind though, kept going back to blue skin, sharp teeth behind a cocky smile and the warmth of the breath of the other. But those were the thoughts that he would deal with later, alone. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
